2011 Saw an introduction of a weight restriction so held open weight and light weight categories. The team weighted in at 618Kg out of a 620Kg limit. Known as the MR2 all blacks to the event organisers because of our new black team shirts and from last year’s win. The light weight completion had many entries, the first pull was a surprise as the pull limit was set short and we lost the first end because of the stretch in the rope. After that hick up, the first four teams facing us were fresh meat, no completion to the MR2OC all blacks, every end was ours, and the lightweight team was through to the final after lunch. The lightweight team were against the FTO club in the final, a team with six men and a woman facing our six man team. The first end was tough, very static, the OC supporters screaming support helped us inch the rope backwards. The second end we found it hard to dig in and where pulled forward, Jay injured his knee badly and was replaced with Steve. This was a bone of contention to the other team so an agreement found, the FTO club can have an extra girl. Do they pick the skinniest girl in there club….no, she’s well equipped, so six of us against eight. The support is gathered en mass at the side lines the club is in support the team lines up at the rope, for the third and final end. After what seemed like an eternity of no movement, our forearms are on fire, the crowed is screaming, the rope tightens in the grip of six pain stricken men of men cracking between our fingers, the camaraderie of the loyal OC spurred the team on the whistle blew. The OC supporters go mad, the team take a knee to regain oxygen, and we’ve done it, a double.

2011 Saw an introduction of a weight restriction so held open weight and light weight categories. The open weight category only had two teams enter AVW and ourselves, so our team went straight to the final after lunch. We win the coin toss the good end is ours, as soon as the command pull was uttered by the line judge the team is into full swing shooting backwards. The second end was the same but even faster, if you had of blinked you would have missed it, the open weight team decimated the opposition.

The It’s a Knock Out competition works by all the events entered by clubs awarded points for their results then calculated giving an overall winning club. Due to the performances of all the contenders, Tug of War, food eating, football, endurance, go karting and a crazy relay race the club easily beat off any other competition. The prize giving in the marquee was a great feeling, when it was announced that the club had won It’s a Knockout all club members stood up to take centre stage, which was half of the marquee. MR2OC took the silverware home.

The endurance event now a highly contested event of JAE was going to be a tough challenge as this year the competitors had two 18 inch alloy wheels to hold out to the side at arm’s length. Justin Smitty and Jez entered, unfortunetly for Justin already carrying a bicep injury had to pull out. That left our Jez, the 7 foot personal trainer. The man to beat in this competition is NPOC’s bear, a goliath of a man who set a stunning time that no one could get close to, until Jez stepped up. Jez was very close, only short from the bear by 3 seconds. A strong man and a strong contender.

There are eating contests and there is the JAE Japanese eating contest. Every year the organisers go all out to find the most putrid food the Japanese produce, in order to feed it to a marquee of crazy car enthusiasts, simple rules, whoever eats all their food first wins. Protock (Red) and Steve (Steve-M-UK) entered representing the club, and on entering the marquee were greeted with the most foul smell of rotting fish. Sat at the table happily grinning to each other wearing the JAE head band, they began to eat the plate of squid, compressed fish and ginger, a load of unrecognisable sticking fish parts all coated in hot wasabi source. Now Red isn’t the biggest of people but he can sure eat, carefully eating in order to have best effect. Red stands up shouts MR2OC and wins beating much larger blokes. Top work, very impressive, please go and brush your teeth.

The best club stand at JAE is what every car club aspires to, 2008 at Mersea Island was the perfect JAE. The club stand was next to the beach, the sun was beaming all weekend and we had a lovely marquee with every luxury. But what really made it was the people, we have the friendliest club with warm welcoming people. The JAE officials send people around to all the club stands to judge them, however they aren’t wearing the JAE organisers shirts so nobody knows who they are. Our club easily came top.

The It’s a Knock Out competition was new to 2008, it works by all the events entered by clubs awarded points for their results then calculated giving an overall winning club. Due to mainly Justin Smitty’s faultless performance, as well as the football team, DannyH taking part in the food eating competition and not the greatest year for the Tug of War team, MR2OC took the silverware home.

Another new event for 2008 was the feel the pain endurance, one man, one pole and two tyres either end. The aim to hold the weight of the tyres out in front of you with your arms parallel to the ground, the best time wins. When strength and endurance is required there’s only one man to call, Justin Smitty. Justin held the tyres parallel for what seemed like an hours, muscles began to shack due to lactic acid and then it was all over. Justin had won by a huge margin smashing his opponents easily. Another outstanding performance.